Category 6, Light Hybrid Beer
This Classes Beers
(The below descriptions are from the May 2008 version of the style guide, For the latest style information always check the Style Center)
Bock
6A. Cream Ale
Please get your sample of 6A. Cream Ale (Genesee Cream Ale) and evaluate it. Remember, first pass without the style guide, and then score this beer. IMHO scoring these beers without the style guide is critical to your learning curve and it better prepares you for the tasting portion of the exam. After you have scored the beer check the style guide and see if you would have changed anything, not during or before. You have a pretty good idea of what these, and other, styles are about.
Now listen to a Master Judge as he/she evaluates this same beer.
Note: even though it is the same beer, it is NOT from the same bottle and may exhibit some different characteristics than yours. Also, we all have different palets, and perceive different flavors at different thresholds so your perceptions may be somewhat different than that of our judge. It is important to your learning process to evaluate and score this beer before you listen. Save some beer to evaluate along with our Master after you have performed your own evaluation.
Now Download the Masters Scoresheet and compare to your own.
Listen to 6A Cream Ale - The Jamil Show 12-18-06 on The Brewing Network
Overall Impression: A clean, well-attenuated, flavorful American lawnmower beer.
Comments: Classic American (i.e., pre-prohibition) Cream Ales were slightly stronger, hoppier (including some dry hopping) and more bitter (25-30+ IBUs). These versions should be entered in the specialty/experimental category. Most commercial examples are in the 1.050–1.053 OG range, and bitterness rarely rises above 20 IBUs.
History: An ale version of the American lager style. Produced by ale brewers to compete with lager brewers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States. Originally known as sparkling or present use ales, lager strains were (and sometimes still are) used by some brewers, but were not historically mixed with ale strains. Many examples are kräusened to achieve carbonation. Cold conditioning isn’t traditional, although modern brewers sometimes use it.
Ingredients: American ingredients most commonly used. A grain bill of six-row malt, or a combination of six-row and North American two-row, is common. Adjuncts can include up to 20% flaked maize in the mash, and up to 20% glucose or other sugars in the boil. Soft water preferred. Any variety of hops can be used for bittering and finishing.
6B. Blonde Ale
Please get your sample of 6B. Blonde Ale (beer), and evaluate it. Remember, first pass without the style guide, and score this beer.
Now listen to a Master Judge as he/she evaluates this same beer.
It is important to your learning process to evaluate and score this beer before you listen. Save some beer to evaluate along with our Master after you have performed your own evaluation.
Download the Masters Scoresheet and compare to your own.
Listen to 6B Blonde Ale - The Jamil Show 06-06-07 on The Brewing Network
Overall Impression: Easy-drinking, approachable, malt-oriented American craft beer.
Comments: In addition to the more common American Blonde Ale, this category can also include modern English Summer Ales, American Kölsch-style beers, and less assertive American and English pale ales.
History: Currently produced by many (American) microbreweries and brewpubs. Regional variations exist (many West Coast brewpub examples are more assertive, like pale ales) but in most areas this beer is designed as the entry-level craft beer.
Ingredients: Generally all malt, but can include up to 25% wheat malt and some sugar adjuncts. Any hop variety can be used. Clean American, lightly fruity English, or Kölsch yeast. May also be made with lager yeast, or cold-conditioned. Some versions may have honey, spices and/or fruit added, although if any of these ingredients are stronger than a background flavor they should be entered in specialty, spiced or fruit beer categories instead. Extract versions should only use the lightest malt extracts and avoid kettle caramelization.
6C. Kölsch
Please get your sample of 6C. Kölsch (beer), and evaluate it. Remember, first pass without the style guide, and score this beer.
Now listen to a Master Judge as he/she evaluates this same beer.
It is important to your learning process to evaluate and score this beer before you listen. Save some beer to evaluate along with our Master after you have performed your own evaluation.
Download the Masters Scoresheet and compare to your own.
Listen to 6C, 7C Kolsch and Dusseldorf Altbier - The Jamil Show 06-19-06 on The Brewing Network
Overall Impression: A clean, crisp, delicately balanced beer usually with very subtle fruit flavors and aromas. Subdued maltiness throughout leads to a pleasantly refreshing tang in the finish. To the untrained taster easily mistaken for a light lager, a somewhat subtle Pilsner, or perhaps a blonde ale.
Comments: Served in a tall, narrow 200ml glass called a “Stange.” Each Köln brewery produces a beer of different character, and each interprets the Konvention slightly differently. Allow for a range of variation within the style when judging. Note that drier versions may seem hoppier or more bitter than the IBU specifications might suggest. Due to its delicate flavor profile, Kölsch tends to have a relatively short shelf-life; older examples can show some oxidation defects. Some Köln breweries (e.g., Dom, Hellers) are now producing young, unfiltered versions known as Wiess (which should not be entered in this category).
History: Kölsch is an appellation protected by the Kölsch Konvention, and is restricted to the 20 or so breweries in and around Cologne (Köln). The Konvention simply defines the beer as a “light, highly attenuated, hop-accentuated, clear top-fermenting Vollbier.”
Ingredients: German noble hops (Hallertau, Tettnang, Spalt or Hersbrucker). German Pils or pale malt. Attenuative, clean ale yeast. Up to 20% wheat may be used, but this is quite rare in authentic versions. Water can vary from extremely soft to moderately hard. Traditionally uses a step mash program, although good results can be obtained using a single rest at 149?F. Fermented at cool ale temperatures (59-65?F) and lagered for at least a month, although many Cologne brewers ferment at 70?F and lager for no more than two weeks.
From the Brewing Techniques "Brewing in Style" series The Queen of Köln is an excellent article on this style.
6D. American Wheat or Rye Beer
Please get your sample of 6D. American Wheat or Rye Beer (beer), and evaluate it. Remember, first pass without the style guide, and score this beer.
Now listen to a Master Judge as he/she evaluates this same beer.
It is important to your learning process to evaluate and score this beer before you listen. Save some beer to evaluate along with our Master after you have performed your own evaluation.
Download the Masters Scoresheet and compare to your own.
Listen to 6D American Wheat or Rye - The Jamil Show 08-27-07 on The Brewing Network
Overall Impression: Refreshing wheat or rye beers that can display more hop character and less yeast character than their German cousins.
Comments: Different variations exist, from an easy-drinking fairly sweet beer to a dry, aggressively hopped beer with a strong wheat or rye flavor. Dark versions approximating dunkelweizens (with darker, richer malt flavors in addition to the color) should be entered in the Specialty Beer category. THE BREWER SHOULD SPECIFY IF RYE IS USED; IF NO DOMINANT GRAIN IS SPECIFIED, WHEAT WILL BE ASSUMED.
Ingredients: Clean American ale yeast, but also can be made as a lager. Large proportion of wheat malt (often 50% or more, but this isn’t a legal requirement as in Germany). American or noble hops. American Rye Beers can follow the same general guidelines, substituting rye for some or all of the wheat. Other base styles (e.g., IPA, stout) with a noticeable rye character should be entered in the Specialty Beer category (23).
From the Brewing Techniques "Brewing in Style" series American Wheat Beers is an excellent article on this style.
